Karnataka Congress leaders on Thursday stepped up pressure on the party high command to defer elections till October-November but were advised to be prepared for polls in May.

KPCC (Karnataka Congress Pradesh Committee) president Mallikarjun Kharge and former chief minister Dharam Singh called on Home Minister Shivraj Patil and discussed with him the options before the government.

However, Patil reacted stating that with Election Commission being an independent constitutional body, there was little that the Centre could do.

Former deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah met Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, AICC Karnataka in charge Prithviraj Chavan and Defence Minister A K Antony.

Bogus voters

The three Karnataka leaders impressed on the Central leaders that with nearly 60 lakh bogus voters, it would be difficult to hold elections before May-end, when the President’s rule ends.

Every effort should be made to weed out bogus voters and enrol genuine voters, they told the leaders.

Meeting

Karnataka governor Rameshwar Thakur called on President Pratibha Patil but details of the discussion were not available. Thakur, who was scheduled to meet the prime minister and deputy chairman of Planning Commission M S Ahluwalia, could not do so as both were busy.

Maharashtra Governor  S M Krishna was said to have been in the capital on Wednesday and met the President.